Henderson (48), a golf professional, returned to his roots at the Otago Golf Club at Balmacewen this summer.
His father Jim Henderson, an old navy man, wanted his son to put his roots down in one place and stop flitting around the world.
''I'm not sure what the future holds,'' he said.
''I could see myself getting a young star and doing more caddying.''
He began an apprenticeship at the Otago Golf Club at the age of 16 in 1980 and was golf professional at the oldest club in the southern hemisphere from 1985 to 1993.
Henderson lived close to the golf course when he was a boy and spent a lot of time around the Glen, the famous 11th hole at Balmacewen.
''It is a tremendous playground for kids,'' he said.
''We spent a lot of our youth in the stream looking for lobsters and golf balls and trying to hide from the old Scottish greenkeeper, John Dickson, who was a hard man.
''If he saw kids on the course he would throw you off. He scared the hell out of us.''
Henderson started swinging a golf club at Balmacewen when he was aged 7.
He used to caddy for his teacher, Geoff Clarke, when he was a pupil at Balmacewen Intermediate and came under the influence of golf maestro Bill Trewern at Otago Boys' High School.
Henderson won five small pro-Am events and was the New Zealand club professional champion in 1988.
Henderson is spending the summer working in the golf shop and coaching at Balmacewen.
It has given him the chance to spend time with his family and renew friendships with old identities like Ron Bridge and Herbie Aitcheson who are close to 90.
''It is great to see how they still get around the hills and the steep terrain at Balmacewen,'' he said.
Henderson has spent the last five years chasing the sun. He has been a golf professional at the Clearwater course in Christchurch in the New Zealand summer and spent the New Zealand winter at a golf course on a small island in Sunnmore, Norway.
Golf in Norway is in its infancy and has only 15,000 players.
In countries like New Zealand, Australia, the United States and Britain children grow up playing cricket, tennis and baseball.
''In Norway there are not a lot of ball and stick sports,'' he said.
''Beginners are not used to hitting a ball with a stick and teaching golf to them is challenging.''
Henderson played junior golf with Otago professional golfer Greg Turner.
''I went to Europe with him when he was having his third year on the tour and struggling a bit,'' he said.
He caddied for Turner again in 1993, when he won the Italian Open, and 10 years later did his last few tournaments in Europe and his last professional tournament in Queensland.
Next week Henderson will caddy for teenage star Lydia Ko at the New Zealand women's open at the Clearwater course in Christchurch.
''She wanted someone with experience of Clearwater to help reading the greens, he said.''
''The old adage for a caddy is to show up, keep up and shut up,'' he said.
''In professional golf it is a bit more than just carrying the clubs.
''You need an intimate knowledge of the game, the rules and your players game.
''Golf, by its very nature, beats the confidence of even for the best players.
''It's about giving a boost when they need it and help them keep their feet on the ground.''
Fact File
Mike Henderson
Age: 48.
Education: Wakari primary, Balmacewen Intermediate, OBHS.
Occupation: Golf professional and caddy.
Jobs: Golf professional at Balmacewen 1985-93, Clearwater, Sunnmore (Norway).
Caddy for: Geoff Clarke, Greg Turner, Lydia Ko.
